ABSTRACT: In this thesis, we consider an analog antenna combining architecture for a MIMO wireless transceiver, while pointing out its advantages with respect to the traditional MIMO architectures. In the first part of this work, we focus on the transceiver design, especially the calculation of the beamformers that must be applied at the RF. This analysis is performed in an OFDM system under different assumptions on the channel state information. As a result, several criteria and algorithms for the selection of the beamformers are proposed. In the second part, we address the FPGA design and implementation of a baseband processor for this architecture. This baseband processor is based on the standard IEEE 802.11a. Finally, some real-time tests of the implemented baseband processor are carried out both in stand-alone configuration and also with the whole physical layer setup.; RESUMEN: En esta tesis consideramos una arquitectura de combinación analógica de antenas para una estación inalámbrica MIMO, señalando las ventajas de ésta con respecto a la arquitectura tradicional MIMO. En la primera parte de este trabajo analizamos el cálculo de los pesos que se deben aplicar en RF. Este análisis es realizado para un sistema OFDM bajo diferentes suposiciones sobre el conocimiento del canal en el transmisor. Como resultado...

Nowadays, the necessity of identifying users of facilities and services has become quite important not only to determine who accesses a system and/or service, but also to determine which privileges should be provided to each user. For achieving such identification, Biometrics is emerging as a technology that provides a high level of security, as well as being convenient and comfortable for the citizen. Most biometric systems are based on computer solutions, where the identification process is performed by servers or workstations, whose cost and processing time make them not feasible for some situations. However, Microelectronics can provide a suitable solution without the need of complex and expensive computer systems. Microelectronics is a subfield of Electronics and as the name suggests, is related to the study, development and/or manufacturing of electronic components, i.e. integrated circuits (ICs). We have focused our research in a concrete field of Microelectronics: hardware/software co-design. This technique is widely used for developing specific and high computational cost devices. Its basis relies on using both hardware and software solutions in an effective way, thus, obtaining a device faster than just a software solution...

The present work is aimed to provide the clearest description possible of the COFFEE RISC core model written through the ArchC software and simulate its behaviour. In this sense, we explore the software applications used for instruction set simulation focusing on the ArchC tools and their features. According to the guidelines of this software, a cycle-accurate description of the COFFEE core architecture is developed, which is used to synthesize a timed instruction set simulator and an assembler. Our work also contains some elements of analysis concerning the ArchC tools and the resulting instruction set simulator in order to evaluate their characteristics and capabilities for hardware architecture modeling purposes. We did not emphasize only on the features of the ArchC tools at the current status of development but also the projection of this software for future implementations. Despite the information gathered here is conceived to provide a basic knowledge about the COFFEE core and its ArchC model, the reader may notice that some issues are not explained enough. It needs to be understood that this thesis cannot cover every aspect of the architecture and the simulation software, which is what the official documentation is meant for. Our effort is focused on summarizing the most significant issues but not replace the official sources so we frequently suggest to consult them. _____________________________________________________; El presente trabajo tiene como objetivo la descripción de un modelo del
núcleo COFFEE por medio del software ArchC. Con este propósito son exploradas
las aplicaciones informáticas utilizadas para la simulación de juegos
de instrucciones...